Vegetable and fruit peeling machine



March 5, 1940. COMFORT 2,192,340

VEGETABLE AND FRUIT FEELING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 5, 194-0. COMFORT 2,192,340

VEGETABLE AND FRUIT FEELING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1939 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 515 6 J Cm ZCEWfO/t March 5, 1940. M. COMFORT VEGETABLE AND FRUIT FEELING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1959 4 Sheefcs-Sheet 5 31w mama comffi.

March 5, 1940. COMFORT 2,192,340

VEGETABLE AND FRUIT PEELINGMACHINE Filed June 28, 1939 4 Sheets- Sheet 4 meme? ma,-

Patented Mar. 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEGETABLE AND FRUIT FEELING MACHINE 12 Claims. (Cl. 146-43) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in vegetable and fruit peeling machines.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a vegetable and fruit peeling machine, especially designed for the peeling of potatoes, turnips, carrots and similar vegetables as well as such fruits as apples, pears and the like, but for purposes of clarity, the invention will be hereinafter referred to as a potato peeler.

A further object of the invention is to provide a peeling machine of the foregoing character wherein potatoes are singly delivered to a pair of gripping members reciprocable towards and away from each other for the gripping and releasing of a potato with a cutter or paring knife tensioned in a direction toward a potato to be peeled and mounted upon a support that is reciprocably mounted for moving the cutter longitudinally of a potato.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the inclaimed.

I of a potato to the potato gripping In the drawings:

Figure lis a side elevational view of a vegetable or fruit peeling machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2'is an end elevational view;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view or the other end of the machine;

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view with the supporting legs broken away and illustrating the gripping rods in their potato gripping position, together with the devices for rotating the potato gripping rods and the reciprocating means for the potato paring knife or cutter; 1

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 4, showing'the'lateraliydisposed chute for the discharge of the peeled potatoes and the cross slot therein for-the discharge of the potato peelings; Figure 6 is a vertical'longitudinal sectional view, partly broken away, similar to Figure '4, showing the potato gripping rods in their separated releasing positions; a q v Figure '7 is a horizontal sectional viewtaken line 1-1 of Figure 6, showing a 'chainbelt wi an opening in one run thereof for thel deliv'e Figure 8 is a vertical cross-sectionalff taken on line 8-3 of Figure 6, showing the potato receiving tray beneath the gripping rods and the tensioned bracket supporting the cutter in-itheirinormal potato peeling positions;

Figure 9. is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale, similar to Figure 8, showing the potatoireceiving tray and the tensioned cutter carrying brackets in their tilted'position for the discharge of a peeled potato in the laterally disposed discharge chute;

Figure 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line i0--i0 of Figure 6;

, Figure 11 is a top plan view of the cutter or potato peeler detached fromits carrying bracket; and

Figure 12 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line |2-i2 of Figure 11, showing the potato peeling blade and potato eye removing pin.

While the potato peeling machine may be of any shape, design or configuration desired, the same is illustrated as being of general oblong rectangular formation and as shown inFlgs. 1 to 3, comprises a body portion designated in general by the reference character I5, carrying supporting feet H5 at its lower end with a hopper l'l mounted upon the upper end of the body portion ii.

The body section l5 comprises a pair of side walls, each having a relatively large rectangular opening it therein that converts said side walls into upper and lower panels [9 and and vertical end panels 2! and 22, the inner edges of said panels bordering the opening l3. The side walls are connected by end walls 23 and 24 at the outer edges of the panels 2| and 22, the outer ends of the upperand lower panels I! and 20 being connected by end wall sections 25 and 26 respectively that are continuations of the end walls 23 and 24. The upper ends of the side wall sections of the body portion 15 carry end rises. As shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 6,

the inner edges of the vertical end panels 2| and 22 are connected by cross walls 28 that border the opening l3 and cooperate with the end wall sections 23 to 25 to form chambers or housings 29 and 30 for the operating mechanism the'potato peeler. The opening it is closed ts lower side by a horizontal wall 3i extend- ;between the upper edges of the lower panels 20 of the side walls and extensions 32 on opposite'ends of the wall 3| provide bottom walls or closures for the lower ends-of the housings 23 and 32. A horizontal cross wall 23 connects the 5 5 lower edges of the lower panels 28. An inverted frusto-pyramidal wall 34 having a central opening 35 therein extends across the upper end of the opening |8 and forms a part of the wall structure bordering said opening |8.

The potatoes to be peeled are placed in the hopper I1 and aresingly delivered to the top wall 34 overlying the opening |8 for passage through the opening 35 centrally of said wall 34 to be gripped and held by a pair of supporting rods to be presently described. As shown more clearly in Figures 4 and 6, the hopper H has a bottom wall 38 disposed slightly below the end top wall sections 21 of the body portion I5 and is provided with a central opening 31 of a size to permit the single passage of an average sized potato therethrough. A valve plate or slide 38 is mounted upon the upper face of the bottom wall 38 of the hopper and slidably extends through end openings in the lower end of the hopper, the opposite ends of the slide plate 38 carrying depending abutments 39 and 48 respectively while said plate intermediate its end is provided with an opening 4| adapted to register with the opening 31 in the bottom wall 38 of the hopper H as shown in Figure 6. The slide plate 38 is normally positioned as shown in Figure 4, with the openings 31 and 4| out of registry by means of a coil spring 42 engaged at one end with the abutment 48 on the slide plate and engaged at its other end with the adjacent end wall section 25. The vertical spacing of the top wall 34 of the opening I8 and the top wall sections 21 and 38 at the upper end of the body portion |5 provides a housing 43 and in which housing an endless belt, preferably of the chain type, is mounted for singly feeding potatoes to the potato-gripping member's disposed in the, opening I8. As shown'in Figures 3 and 4, a pair of shafts 44 and 45 is respectively journaled at opposite ends of the housing 43 and at the upper ends of the housings 29 and 38, said shafts 44 and 45 carrying sprocket wheels 48 over which the endless chain belt 41 travels. A potato passage opening 48 is formed in the chain belt 41 and is adapted to register with the openings 31 and 4| in the bottom wall 38 of the hopper and the slide plate 38. A conical guide 49 is mounted in the housing 43 between the runs of the endless chain belt 41 and has a bottom discharge opening 58 therein. The device for eifecting sliding movement of the plate 38 across the lower end of the hopper |1 includes an arm 5| carried by the shaft 45 and projecting radially therefrom, the outer end of said arm being movable into engagement with the abutment 39 on the adjacent end of the slide plate 38 for moving the latter against the tension of the spring 42, as will be readily understood from an inspection of Figure 6. Operating means for the endless chain belt 41 will be presently described.

A pair of rotatable and reciprocating potato gripping rods 52 and 53 horizontally extend through the chambers 29 and 38 respectively and project through the inner and outer walls thereof, theinner ends of the rods 52 and 53 having potato gripping fingers 54. A perpendicular wall 55 rises from the bottom wall 32 of each chamber 29 and 38 between the inner walls 28 and the outer walls 23 and 24 respectively of said housings and tubular bearings 58 extend between said walls 55 and the outer walls 23 and 24 for the mounting of said rods 52 and 53, a further bearing 51 being carried by the walls 28 for said rods 52. An arm 58 is anchored to and depends from the outer end of each rod 52 and means for rotating and reciprocating the potato gripping rods 32 will be presently described. The potato gripping rods are normally retained in the potato gripping positions shown in Fig. 4

by means of coil spring connections 8| between the lower ends of the arms 58 and the end wall portions 28 of the lower panels 28.

The potato peeling knife and operating devices therefor are shown more clearly in Figs. 4

and 6 and include a shaft 82 extending across I the opening l8 below the potato gripping arms 52 with the ends of said shaft 82 extending through the housings 29 and 38 and journaled in the walls thereof. A double reverse screw thread 83 is formed on. the shaft 82vwithln the opening |8. A screw block 84 is shown in Figs. 8 and 9 as being engaged with the double threaded portion 83 of the shaft 82 and said, block 84 has a guide finger 85 depending therefrom that moves through a longitudinally extending slot 88 in the bottom wall 3| of the opening l8. An arm 81 is laterally carried by the screw block 84 and extends at right angles to the shaft 82 and pivotally supports at its outer end as at 88, the lower end of an upstanding lever arm 89 that is tensioned in a direction toward said shaft 82 by means of a coil spring 18 extending between the lever arm 89 and a stud 1| rising from the screw block 84. The upper end of the lever arm 89 terminates in the general vicinity of the potato gripping rods 52 and 53 and a bracket arm 12 projecting laterally of the upper end of the r lever arm 89 rotatably supports a roller or wheel 13 moving in rollingcontact with a potato gripped between the fingers .54 on the rods 52 and 53. The potato paring knife shown in detail in Figs. 11 and 12 comprises an arm 14 mounted upon the bearing pin 15 upon which the wheel 13 is journalled the forward end of the arm 14 carrying a rectangular frame 15 from which a depending curved paring blade 18 is pressed, the forward end of the frame 15 carrying a depending finger 11 between the ends thereof for the removal of eyes from a potato.

An elongated transversely curved potato supporting tray 18 extends across theopening l8 below the potato gripping rods 52, the walls 28 of the housing 29 and 38 having vertically slotted openings 19 formed therein into which opposite ends of the tray 18 freely pass, the formation of the openings 19 providing lugs 88 that extend the double screw threaded portion 83 of said shaft with the peeling blade 18 moving over a potato gripped by the fingers 54 of the potato gripping rods 52.

The operating means for the endless belt or chain 41, the potato gripping rods 52 and 53 and the screw shaft 82 comprises an electric motor 82 mounted on the lower end of the bodyportion |5' below the end wall 24 by means of bracket arms with such openings 21 and II so that the single 52 that attach the motor to the body portion. The motor 22 has a conduct connection 25 with a source of energy and the operation of the motor is controlled by the hand switch 55 shown in Figure 3. The shaft 25 of the motor 52 carries a pulley 21. that has a belt connection 25 with a pulley 22 that is secured to a projecting end of a shaft 22 journaled transversely of the housing 25 in the panel wall 22 thereof above the bearing 55 for the potato gripping rod 52. The shaft 55 carries a worm 9| intermediate the ends thereof that is engaged with a worm wheel 52 that has its center bearing extending to a cut-out in the bearing 55 for a splined connection with the potato gripping rod 52, the worm 5| and worm wheel 52 being positioned in the housing 22 between the end wall 24 and upstanding intermediate wall 55. A gear wheel 92 has its center bearing extending to a cut-out portion in the bearing sleeve 55 between the wall 55 and adjacent wall 22 in the housing 25 for a splined connection with the potato grippingrod 52 and said gear wheel'52 meshes with a pinion 55 on the shaft 52 for transmitting rotary motion from the potato gripping shaft 52 to the shaft 52. The end of the shaft 52 within the housing 22 between the wall 55 and inner wall 25 of said housing has a pinion 25 keyed thereon that engages a gear wheel 55 splined upon the potato gripping rod 52. It will therefore be seen that rotation of the potato gripping rod 52 is transmitted to the shaft 52 and from said shaft to the potato gripping rod 52, and that upon rotation of said shaft 52, the screw block 55 mounted thereon and carrying the lever arm 59 having the potato peeling knife 15 at its upper end is reversely movable over the threaded portion 52 of said shaft 52.

To effect reciprocating movements of the potato gripping rods 52 and 52 into potato gripping and releasing position, each end of the shaft 52 within the housings 29 and 20 and in the compartments of said housings outwardly of the walls 55 is provided with a worm 91 that meshes with a worm wheel 98 keyed to a shaft journaled transversely of theassociated housing. Each shaft 95 carries a cam arm I00 movable through openings lIiI in the wall 55 and adjacent end wall of the housing for engagement with a plate I52 carried by the adjacent arm 58 that connects the potato gripping rods with the lower guide rod 59. It will be seen that upon rotation of the shaft 52, the cam arms I05 are movable from the position shown in Figure 4 to the position shown in Figure 6 for separating the potato gripping rods 52 and 53 and when the cam arms I55 are disengaged from the plate I52, the springs 5| automatically retract the rods 52 and 52 into potato gripping position.

The operating means for the endless belt 51 is vderived from the shaft 95 journalled in the housing 29, one end of said shaft projecting outwardly of said housing as shown in Figure 2 with the sprocket wheel thereon over which a sprocket chain I02 passes, the shaft projecting outwardly of the housing 42 at the upper end of the body portion and having a sprocket wheel thereon over whichsaid sprocket chain I52 passes.

Potatoes or other vegetables or fruits are placed in the hopper l1 and when the machine is in operation, the arm 5| carried by the shaft 55 moves the slide plate. 25 against the tension of the spring 42 to place the opening 5| therein in registry with the opening 21 in the bottom wall 25 of the hopper I I and at this time the chain belt 51 has been moved to place the opening 48 therein in registry potato will be delivered into the conical guide 52 between the runs of the endless belt and be supported upon the lower run of the belt. After a single potato has been discharged through the openings ll, 21 and 52, the arm 5| escapes the abutment 22 upon the slide-plate 25 and the spring 52 shifts the slide plate to close the opening 21 in the bottom wall 25 of the hopper. Continued movement of the endless belt 51 places the opening 55 therein in regis ry with the discharge opening 55 in the lower end of the conical guide 52 for the discharge of a single potato onto the conical guide wall 25 at the upper end of the opening II in the body portion of the machine, the potato falling upon the tray I2 and being engaged by the fingers as of the potato grippin arms :2 and 52.

The potato gripping rods are in their separated positions as shown in Figure 6 and when so disposed a potato is delivered between the ends thereof, the rotation of the shaft 52 causes the camvarms I55 to be moved out of engagement with the plate I52 so that the springs 5| can retract the. potato gripping rods 52 and 52 into potato gripping position with the ends thereof adjacent each other as shown in Figures 1 and 4. when so disposed, rotation of the shaft 52 causes the screw block 55 to move over the threaded portion 52 of said shaft with the guide wheel I2 upon the upper end of the tensioned lever arm 59 being engaged with the side of the potato for guiding the paring blade I5 over the surface of the potato during rotation of the latter by the potato gripping rods 52 and 52. The different parts of the mechanism are so timed that when the screw block 55 has moved the full length of the reversely threaded portion 52 of the shaft 52, a potato will have been completely peeled, another potato delivered onto the lower run of the chain belt 51, the potato ripping rods 52 and 52 retracted for the release of the potato from the gripping fingers 55 when the guide wheel I2 moves beyond a gripped potato, the spring I5 associated with the lever arm 55 swings said lever arm to engage one side of the tlltable tray I5 for tilting the same to the position shown in Figure 9, at which time a peeled potato is delivered onto the discharge chute secured as at I55 to one side of a lower panel 25 for collection in a receptacle, the potato peelings falling through the slotted opening I55 in the chute I55. Upon continued operation of the machine, the potato resting upon the lower run of the belt 51 is finally discharged through the opening 25 in the top wall 35 overlying the opening I5 and is similarly received between the potato gripping rods 52 and 52, the reverse or double threads 52 upon the shaft 52 causes the screw block 55 to move in the opposite direction over said shaft 52 for the peeling of a potato gripped in the rods 52 and 52.

From the above detailed description of the in-- vention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent, and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a potato peeling machine. a hopper, a pair of rotatable and reciprocable potato gripping rods below the hopper, tensioned in directions of movements towards each other, means for singly delivering potatoes from the hopper to the gripping rods, a tensioned paring cutter 75 movable longitudinally of the gripping rods for paring a potato and a series of relatively timed operating means .for the potato delivering means, r pping rods and paring cutter, the means for singly delivering potatoes to the gripping rods including a bottom wall for the hopper having an opening therein, a slidably mounted valve plate movable over the bottom wall of the hopper and having an opening therein adapted to register with the bottom wallopening and an endless belt having an opening therein movable into registry with the aforesaid openings when the opening therein is located in the upper run of the belt.

2. In a potato peeling machine, a hopper, a pair of rotatable and reciprocable potato gripping rods below the hopper, tensioned in directions of movements towards each other, means for singly delivering potatoes from the hopper to the gripping rods, a tensioned paring cutter movable longitudinally of the gripping rods for paring a potato and a series of relatively timed operating means for the potato delivering means, gripping rods and paring cutter, the means for singly delivering potatoes to the gripping rods including a bottom wall for the hopper having an opening therein, a slidably mounted valve plate movable over the bottom wall of the hopper and having an opening therein adapted to register with the bottom wall opening and an endless belt having an opening therein movable into registry with the aforesaid openings when the opening therein is located in the upper run of the belt, the paring cutter and operating means therefor including a reversely threaded shaft parallel with the potato gripping rods and disposed below the same, a screw block reciprocably movable over the threaded shaft, a tensioned lever arm pivotally supported on the screw block and carrying the cutter at its upper end movable towards said rods.

3. In a potato peeling machine, a hopper, a pair of rotatable and reciprocable potato gripping rods below the hopper, tensioned in directions of movements 'towards each other, means for singly delivering potatoes from the hopper to the gripping rods, a tensioned paring cutter movable longitudinally of the gripping rods for paring a potato and a series of relatively tuned operating means for the potato delivering means, gripping rods and paring cutter, the means for singly delivering potatoes to the grip-, ping rods including a bottom wall for the hopper having an openingtherein, a slidably mounted valve plate movable over the bottom wall of the hopper and having an opening therein adapted to register with the bottom wall opening and an endless belt having an opening therein movable into registry with the aforesaid openings when the opening therein is located in the upper run of the belt, the paring cutter and operating means therefor including a reversely threaded shaft parallel with the potato gripping rods and disposed below the same, a screw block reciprocably movable over the threaded shaft, a tensioned lever arm pivotally supported on the screw block and carrying the cutter at its upper end movable towards said rods, and a guide wheel on the upper end of the lever arm adapted to move in rolling contact with a potato gripp d between said rods for guiding the cutter over a potato.

4. In a potato peeling machine, a hopper, a pair of rotatable and reciprocable potato gripping rods below the hopper, tensioned in directions of movements towards each other, means for singly delivering potatoes from the hopper to the gripping rods, a tensioned paring cutter movable longitudinally of the gripping rods-for paring a potato and a series of relatively timed operating means for the potato delivering means, gripping rods and paring cutter, the paring cutter and operating means therefor including a reversely threaded shaft parallel with the potato gripping rods and disposed below the same, a screw block reciprocably movable over the threaded shaft, 2, tensioned lever arm pivotally supported on the screw block and carrying the cutter at its upper end movable towards said rods, and the operating means for the gripping rods including abutments carried by said rods and cam arms adapted to engage and move said abutments for separating the potato gripping rods against tension thereon. v

5. In a potato peeling machine, a hopper, a pair of rotatable and reciprocable potato gripping rods below the hopper, tensioned in directions of movements towards each other, means for singly delivering potatoes from the hopper to the gripping rods, a tensioned paring cutter movable longitudinally of the gripping rods for paring a potato and a series of relatively timed operating means for the potato delivering means, gripping rods and paring cutter, the

means for singly delivering potatoes tothe gripping rods including a bottom wall for the hopper having an opening therein, a slidably mounted valve plate movable over the bottom wall of the hopper and having an opening therein adapted to register with the bottom wall opening and an endless belt having an opening therein movable into registry with the aforesaid openings when the opening therein is located in the upper run of the belt, the paring cutter and operating means therefor including. a reversely threaded shaft parallel with thepotato gripping rods and disposed below the same, a screw block reciprocably movable over the threaded shaft, a tensioned lever arm pivotally supported on the screw block and carrying the cutter at its upper end movable towards said rods, and the operating means for the gripping rods including abutments carried by said rods and cam arms adapted to engage and move said abutments for separating the potato gripping rods against tension thereon.

6. In a potato peeling machine, a hopper, a pair of rotatable and reciprocable potato gripping rods below the hopper, tensioned in direccluding a reversely threaded shaft parallel withthe potato gripping rods and disposed below the same, a screw block reciprocably movable over the threaded shaft, a tensioned lever arm pivot ally supported on the screw block and carrying I the cutter at its upper end movable towards said rods, and a guide wheel on the upper end of the lever arm adapted to move in rolling contact with a potato gripped between said rods for guiding the cutter over a potato, and the operat ing means for the gripping rods including abutments carried by said rods and cam arms adapted to engage and move said abutments for sepalfl sthepotatosrlmngrodsagainsttension thereon. a

7., In a potato peeling machine, a hopper, a pair of rotatable and reciprocable potato gripping rods below the hopper, tensioned in directions of movements towards each other, means for singly delivering potatoes from the hopper to the gripping rods, a tensioned paring cutter movable longitudinally of the gripping rods for paring a potato and a series of relatively timed operating means for the potato delivering means, gripping rods and paring cutter, the means for singly delivering potatoes to the gripping rods including a bottom wall for the hopper having an in opening therein, a slidably mounted valve plate movable over the bottom wall of the hopper and having an opening therein adapted to register with the bottom wall opening and an endless belt having an opening therein movable into registry with the aforesaid openings when the opening therein is located in the upper run of the belt, the paring cutter and operating means therefor including a reversely threaded shaft parallel with the potato gripping rods and disposed below the same, a screw block reciprocably movable over the threaded shaft, a tensioned lever arm pivotally supported on the screw block and carrying the cutter at its upper end movable towards said rods, and a guide wheel on the upper end of the lever arm adapted to move in rolling contact with a potato gripped between said rods for guiding the cutter over a potato, and the operating means for the gripping rods including abutments carried by said rods and cam arms adapted to engage and move said abutments forseparating the potato gripping rods against tension thereon.

8. In a potato peeling machine, a body portion, a central opening therein bordered by vertical end housings and a horizontal top housing, a hopper above the top housing, a slide valve closure for the lower end of the top housing, an endless belt having an opening therein having the'runs thereof horizontally disposed in the top housing and cooperating with the slide valve closure, a horizontal potato gripping rod extending through each end housing below the top housing with the inner potato gripping ends projecting into the central opening in the body portion and the outer ends projecting outwardly of the end housings, cooperating guide means for the rods associated with the outer ends of the rods and body portion at the lower ends of the end housings, spring means for normally tensioning the gripping rods in directions towards each other, a reversely threaded shaft extending across said body opening and Journalled at its ends in the walls of the end housings adjacent the lower ends thereof, means operating by said threaded shaft engageable with the guide means on said rods for moving the rods away from each other into potato releasing positions, a paring cutter having a screw block connection with said shaft for reciprocating movements longitudinally of the gripping rods, an operating motor, a gear train drive between the motor, potato gripping rods and threaded shaft, operative connections between the means for retracting one of the gripping rods and the endless belt and operative connections between the endless belt and slide valve closure for the hopper.

9. In a potato peeling machine, a hopper, a pair of rotatable and reciprocable potato gripping rods below the hopper, tensioned in directions of movements towards each other, means for singly delivering potatoes from the hopper to the ripping rods, atensioned paring cutter movable longitudinally of the gripping rods for paring a potato and a series of relatively timed operating means for the potato delivering means, gripping rods and paring cutter, a resiliently mounted laterally tiltable potato receiving tray disposed below the gripping rods, a potato discharge chute disposed laterally of said tray and said tensioned paring cutter adapted to tilt the tray for the discharge of a peeled potato onto the chute.

10. In a potato peeling machine, a hopper, a pair of rotatable and reciprocable potato gripping rods'below the hopper, tensioned in directions of movements towards each other, means for singly delivering potatoes from the hopper to the gripping rods, a tensioned paring cutter movable longitudinally of the gripping rods for paring a potato and a series of relatively timed operating means for the potato delivering means,

gripping rods and paring cutter, the means for singly delivering potatoes to the gripping rods including a bottom wall for the hopper having an opening therein, a slidably mounted valve plate movable over the bottom wall of the hopper and 'having an opening therein adapted to register pair of rotatable and reciprocable potato gripping rods .below the hopper, tensioned in directions of movements towards each other, means for singly delivering potatoes from the hopper to the gripping rods, a tensioned paring cutter movable longitudinally of the gripping rods for paring a potato and a series of relatively timed operating means for the potato delivering means, gripping rods and paring cutter, the paring cutter and operating means therefor including a reversely threaded shaft parallel with the potato gripping rods and disposed below the same, a screw block reciprocably movable over the threaded shaft, a tensioned lever arm pivotally supported on the screw block and carrying the cutter at its upper end movable towards said rods, a resiliently mounted laterally tiltable potato receiving tray disposed below the gripping rods, a potato discharge chute disposed laterally of said tray and said tensioned paring cutter adapted to tilt the tray for the discharge of a peeled potato onto the chute.

12. In a potato peeling machine, a hopper, a pair of rotatable and reciprocable potato gripping rods below the hopper, tensioned in directions of movements towards each other, means for singly delivering potatoes from the hopper to the gripping rods, a tensioned paring cutter movable longitudinally of the gripping rods for paring a potato and a series of relatively timed operating means for the potato delivering means, gripping rods and paring cutter, the means for singly delivering potatoes to the gripping rods including a bottom wall for the hopper having an opening therein, a slidably mounted valve plate movable over the bottom wall of the hopper and having an opening therein adapted to register with the bottom wall opening and an endless belt having an opening therein movable into registry with the aforesaid openings when the opening therein is located in the upper run of the belt, the paring cutter and operating means therefor including a reversely threaded shaft parallel with the-potato gripping rods and disposed below the same, a screw block reciprocably movable .over the threaded shaft, 9. tensioned lever arm pivotally supported on the screw block and carrying the cutter at its upper end movable towards said rods, a resiliently mounted laterally tiltable potato receiving vtray disposed below the gripping rods, a potato discharge chute disposed laterally of said tray and said tensioned paring cutter adapted to tilt the tray for the discharge or a V peeled potato onto the chute.

, ZIMIRJHAllIlZ. COMFORT. 

